A historical sovereign state is a state that once existed, but has since been dissolved due to conflict, war, rebellion, annexation, or uprising. This page lists sovereign states , countries , nations , or empires that have ceased to exist as political entities, grouped geographically and by constitutional nature.[note 1]
The most recent sovereign states to cease to exist within each continent are:
The criteria for inclusion in this list are similar to that of the list of states with limited recognition . To be included here, a polity must have claimed statehood and either:
had de facto control over a territory, a population, a government, a capacity to enter into relations with other states, or
have been recognised as a state by at least one other state.
For purposes of this list, the cutoff between medieval and early modern states is the fall of Constantinople in 1453.
Ancient and medieval states [ edit | edit source ]
Modern states and territories by geography [ edit | edit source ]
In the Nordic countries, unions were personal, not unitary
File:Grunwald Słupsk i Szczecin.svg Duchy of Pomerania (1121–1160, 1264–1295, 1478–1531, 1625–1637)
File:Terra Bernstein - Pommern-Wolgast COA.svg Duchy of Pomerania-Wolgast (1295–1478)
File:Chorągiew księcia mazowieckiego Siemowita.svg Duchy of Masovia (1138–1275, 1294–1310, 1370–1381, 1495–1526)
File:Grunwald Słupsk i Szczecin.svg Duchy of Pomerania-Stolp (1368–1478)
Duchy of Pomerania-Neustettin (1368–1390)
File:POL województwo krakowskie IRP COA.svg Duchy of Kraków (1227–1320)
File:Alex K Halych-Volhynia-flag.svg Kingdom of Galicia–Volhynia (1199–1349)
File:POL województwo śląskie COA.svg Duchy of Bytom (1281–1498)
File:Banner of the Duchy of Silesia.svg Duchy of Silesia (1138–1335)
File:POL województwo śląskie flag formal.svg Duchy of Opole (1172–1202, 1281–1532)
File:POL województwo śląskie II RP COA.svg Duchy of Racibórz (1172–1202, 1281–1521)
File:POL województwo opolskie COA alt.svg Duchy of Opole and Racibórz (1202–1281, 1521–1532, 1551–1556)
File:POL województwo brzeskokujawskie IRP COA.svg Duchy of Inowrocław (1267–1364)
File:Flag of Cieszyn Silesia.svg Duchy of Teschen (1281–1918)
Duchy of Poland (966–1025, 1031–1076, 1079–1138, 1138–1227)
File:Kingdom of Poland-flag.svg Kingdom of Poland (1025–1031, 1076–1079, 1295–1296, 1300–1320)
File:Banner of the Kingdom of Poland.svg United Kingdom of Poland (1320–1386)
File:Flaga Rzeczypospolitej Obojga Narodow ogolna.svg Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth (1569–1795)
File:Flag of the Duchy of Warsaw.svg Duchy of Warsaw (1807–1815; part of First French Empire , personal union with Kingdom of Saxony )
File:Flag of Krakow.svg Free, Independent, and Strictly Neutral City of Cracow with its Territory (1815–1846)
File:Royal Standard of the Tsar of Poland (1815–1830).svg Kingdom of Poland (1815–1832; personal union with Russian Empire )
File:Flag of Russia.svg Vistula Land (1867–1915; part of the Russian Empire)
File:Flagge Preußen - Provinz Posen (1815).svg Grand Duchy of Posen (1815–1848; part of Kingdom of Prussia )
File:Flag of the Grand Duchy of Cracow.svg Grand Duchy of Kraków (1846–1918; part of the Austria-Hungary )
File:Flag of Poland (November Uprising).svg Polish National Government (1830–1831)
File:Coat of arms of the Kraków Uprising.svg Polish National Government (1846)
Baltic countries and Belarus [ edit | edit source ]
Czech Republic and Slovakia [ edit | edit source ]
In Albania:
In Bosnia:
In Bulgaria:
In Croatia:
In Greece:
In Montenegro:
In North Macedonia:
In Serbia:
In Turkey:
Modern states and territories by type [ edit | edit source ]
These states are now dissolved into a number of states, none of which retain the old name.
File:Flag of Germany (1935–1945).svg Greater German Reich – Dissolved in 1945, its former territory now consists of the entirety of the countries of Austria and Germany , and parts of what is now Belarus , the Czech Republic , France , Luxembourg , Poland , Russia , Belgium , the Netherlands , Denmark , Norway , Greece , Serbia , Estonia , Latvia , Lithuania , Ukraine and Slovenia .
File:Flag of the Republic of China.svg Republic of China (Mainland Period) – Polity existed to 7 December 1949 and its territory now controlled by the People's Republic of China (Mainland China ), Mongolia , portion of the territory claimed by India and Japan , and parts of Afghanistan , Bhutan , Pakistan , Russia and Tajikistan . The rump state , still known as the "Republic of China ", continues to control Taiwan and Penghu which was acquired from Japan in 1945, as well as Kinmen and Matsu Islands , forming part of the rump Fujian Province . See also the political status of Taiwan and the Theory of the Undetermined Status of Taiwan .
File:Flag of Korea (1899).svg Korea – Ceased to exist in 1910, its former territory now consists of the entirety of territory controlled by North Korea and South Korea , and a portion of territory claimed by Japan .
File:Flag of Mali (1959-1961).svg Mali Federation – In 1959 formed by Senegal and French Sudan , both parts of French West Africa , as an independent nation. It collapsed in 1960, and is now Senegal and Mali .
File:Flag of the United Kingdom of Portugal, Brazil, and Algarves.svg Portugal, Brazil and the Algarves (Reino Unido de Portugal, Brasil e Algarves ) created in 1815 when Brazil was upgraded to the rank of kingdom, once the Portuguese royal family was living in Rio de Janeiro since 1809. This country was dissolved in 1822 when Brazil became independent. Now the countries of Portugal, Brazil, Cabo Verde, São Tomé and Príncipe, Angola, East Timor and Mozambique.
File:Flag of Yugoslavia (1992–2003); Flag of Serbia and Montenegro (2003–2006).svg Serbia and Montenegro – Dissolved in 2006, now the countries of Montenegro , Serbia , and the partially recognized Kosovo .
File:Flag of the Soviet Union.svg Soviet Union – Dissolved in 1991, now the countries of Armenia , Azerbaijan , Belarus , Georgia , Kazakhstan , Kyrgyzstan , Moldova , Russia , Tajikistan , Turkmenistan , Ukraine , and Uzbekistan . The Baltic countries of Estonia , Latvia and Lithuania were not de jure part of the USSR during its occupation years.
United Arab Republic – A union formed by Egypt and Syria in 1958. It was dissolved in 1961, though Egypt used the name until 1971. Other Pan-Arab unity agreements with Iraq and Jordan in the 1950s failed.
United Arab States – A confederation formed by the United Arab Republic and North Yemen in 1958; it was dissolved in 1961.
File:Flag of Yugoslavia (1946-1992).svg Yugoslavia – Dissolved in 1991 and 1992, now the countries of Bosnia and Herzegovina , Croatia , Montenegro , North Macedonia , Serbia , Slovenia , and the partially recognized Kosovo .
File:Flag of the Czech Republic.svg Czechoslovakia – Existed from 1918 to 1992, the country wasn't active in World War II , but the government was in exile , dissolved in 1992 and broke up into Czechia and Slovakia .
File:Flag of the Federal Republic of Central America.svg Central America – Existed from 1821 to 1841, broke up into Guatemala , Belize , El Salvador , Honduras , Nicaragua , and Costa Rica .
File:Flag of Somalia.svg Somali Republic – Dissolved in 1991, now the countries of Somalia and unrecognized Somaliland .
File:Flag of Empire of Brazil (1822-1870).svg Empire of Brazil – An empire created after Brazil declared its independence in 1822 and dissolved in 1889, now the countries of Brazil and Uruguay (who declared their independence in 1825, and was recognized in 1828).
Nominally independent homelands of South Africa [ edit | edit source ]
Four of the homelands , or bantustans , for black South Africans, were granted nominal independence by the apartheid regime of South Africa . Not recognised by other nations, these effectively were puppet states and were re-incorporated in 1994.
These nations declared themselves independent, but failed to achieve it in fact or did not seek permanent independence and were either re-incorporated into the mother country or incorporated into another country.
File:Flag of Ukraine.svg Carpatho-Ukraine – declared independence from Czechoslovakia in 1939, but was occupied and annexed by Hungary in one day.
Cartagena Canton – the haven city of Cartagena, Spain seceded from the First Spanish Republic in 1873.
File:Flag of Catalonia.svg Catalan Republic (April 14–17, 1931).
File:Flag of Chechen Republic of Ichkeria.svg Chechnya – Virtually independent from Russia from 1996 as Chechen Republic of Ichkeria , however the country was recognized only by the Taliban . After terrorist attacks in 1999 the republic was returned to Russia's control in the Second Chechen War .
File:Flag of the Confederate States of America (1861-1863).svg Confederate States – Occupied the southeastern United States , stretching from Texas to Virginia . Declared secession from the U.S. in 1861, reintegrated into the U.S. in 1865. Reconstruction ended in 1876 and U.S. troops withdrew as an occupation force in 1877. South Carolina was the first state to declare its secession from the United States, doing so on December 20, 1860. Political factions in the "border states" of Kentucky and Missouri declared themselves parts of the Confederacy and controlled small portions of those regions early in the war. The major Indian tribes in Oklahoma signed an alliance with the Confederacy, and participated in its military efforts against the U.S.
File:Flag of the Crimean ASSR (1938).svg Crimean Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic , declared independence from Ukraine in 1992 but soon settled for being an autonomous republic within Ukraine.
Cruzob , achieved independence from Mexico in 1856, but was reannexed in 1901.
File:Flag of Green Ukraine.svg Green Ukraine – Declared independence from Far Eastern Republic in 1920, dissolved in 1922.
File:Flag of the Croatian Republic of Herzeg-Bosnia.svg Herzeg-Bosnia – Separated from Bosnia and Herzegovina in 1992, reincorporated into the country in 1994.
Italian Social Republic (1943–1945)
File:Flag of Katanga.svg Katanga – Declared its independence of the newly formed Democratic Republic of the Congo in 1960, was incorporated again into the country in 1963.
Manitoba – short-lived republic led by Thomas Spence, declared after the Hudson's Bay Company gave up Rupert's Land and before the government of Canada took control (1867).
File:Metis Blue.svg Red River Rebellion – provisional government in Rupert's Land , led by Louis Riel in (1869–1870).
File:State Flag of Serbian Krajina (1991).svg Serbian Krajina – declared independence from Croatia in 1991, reincorporated into the country in 1995.
File:Flag of South Kasai.svg South Kasai – declared independence from the Democratic Republic of the Congo in June 1960, reincorporated into the country in December 1961.
File:Flag of Russia-2.png Supreme Administration of Northern Region – Proclaimed independent in 1918, later became the Provisional Government of the Northern Region .
File:Flag of the Republika Srpska.svg Republika Srpska – Separated from Bosnia and Herzegovina in 1992, reincorporated into the country in 1995.
File:Flag of the Principality of Trinidad.svg Principality of Trinidad – Declared independence in 1893, claimed by United Kingdom in 1895, but incorporated by Brazil.
File:Flag of the Autonomous Province of Western Bosnia (1993–1995).svg Western Bosnia – Declared independence from Bosnia and Herzegovina in 1993 and reincorporated into it in 1995.
These nations, once separate, are now part of another country. Cases of voluntary accession are included.
File:Labaro Reggenza Italiana del Carnaro.svg Regency of Carnaro in 1919 and File:Flag of the Free State of Fiume.svg Free State of Fiume 1920–1924, two short-lived states in the port city of Fiume/Rijeka proclaimed by Gabriele D'Annunzio . Following World War I, the city was disputed between Italy and Yugoslavia , and eventually captured by Italy in 1921. The city passed to Yugoslavia after World War II and is now in Croatia.
File:Flag of the Couto Misto.svg Couto Misto – Tiny 10th century border territory that was split between Spain and Portugal in 1864–8.
File:Flag of Cretan State.svg Crete – Autonomous under Ottoman suzerainty in 1898, unilaterally declared union with Greece in 1908, which was recognized in 1913.
File:Flag of East Germany.svg East Germany – Annexed by West Germany in 1990 and now part of Germany .
File:Flag of England.svg England – Merged with Scotland to form the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707, now part of the United Kingdom.
File:Flag of Franceville.svg Franceville (1889–1890) – Independent in 1889, later governed by France and Britain as part of the New Hebrides ; now part of Vanuatu .
File:Flag of Hatay.svg Hatay – Part of the Mandate of Syria that became part of Turkey; independent 1938–1939
File:Flag of Hawaii (1896).svg Hawaii – Annexed by the U.S. in the late 19th century.
File:FlagofKalat.svg Kalat (1638, 1666–1955) – 1666 to 1955, became part of Pakistan .
Free States of Menton and Roquebrune – Seceded from Monaco in 1848, under nominal protection of the Kingdom of Sardinia , then annexed by France in 1861.
File:Flag of Moresnet.svg Moresnet – 1816–1920, Tiny European territory that endured for a hundred years before definitively becoming part of Belgium.
File:Flag of Natalia Republic.svg Natalia Republic – 1839–1843, Was quickly made into a British colony
File:Flag of the Islands of Refreshment.svg Islands of Refreshment – The islands of Tristan da Cunha were settled in 1810 and declared independence in 1811. Annexed by the United Kingdom in 1815.
File:Flag of Scotland (1542–2003).svg Scotland – Merged with England to form the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707, now part of the United Kingdom.
File:Flag of South Vietnam.svg South Vietnam – Occupied by North Vietnam in 1975 and annexed into it in 1976.
File:Tatar Nationalist Flag.svg Islamic Republic of Tatarstan – Existed from 1992 until annexed by Russia in 1994.
File:Flag of Transvaal.svg Transvaal – Now part of South Africa.
File:Flag of Texas (1839–1879).svg Texas – Annexed by the U.S. in 1845.
File:Flag of the Vermont Republic.svg Vermont Republic – Annexed by the US in 1791.
Berge, Bjørn. Nowherelands: An Atlas of Vanished Countries 1840–1975 . New York: Thames & Hudson, 2017 ISBN 9780500519905 240p.
Harding, Les. Dead Countries of the Nineteenth and Twentieth Centuries: Aden to Zululand . Scarecrow Press, 1998. ISBN 0-8108-3445-6